The Best Last Minute Gifts For Travel Lovers

‘Tis the season of love, light, giving, and gratitude. While the holidays are wonderful for restoration and rejuvenation, they can also be a bit chaotic, especially if you have last minute Christmas shopping to-do. That being said, if you’ve ever been stressed when searching for the best travel gifts for travel lovers, I got you covered.

Last minute shopping and travel are my jam, so below you’ll find a curated list of mindful gifts for travel lovers (which are also extremely useful!). So whether you’re buying a present for someone jetting off to the Christmas Markets in Europe or looking for a gift for a traveler exploring stateside Christmassy destinations, this list has magical ideas filled with wanderlust for anyone to enjoy.

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Mindful last minute gifts for travel lovers

Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission on the purchase at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support friend!

One of the best things about last minute deals is savings, savings, savings! Whether you prefer online shopping or heading to the store to grab a present, here are some gifts I highly recommend for any mindful and adventure travelers.

These are also wonderful gifts to buy for yourself because self-care, after-all, is self-preservation. For a detailed list of self-care gift ideas, read this post.

Hydroflask

Hand up if you’re obsessed with water bottles! If that’s you or if you know a fellow traveler who is, this is the perfect sustainable gift to buy. Hydroflask come in an abundance of colors and are extremely easy to travel with.

Carrying a waterbottle may also help remind your loved on to stay hydrated while traveling. I’d say that’s a win-win!

Collapsible containers

One travel gift idea that’s runs in the collapsible travel family are containers that collapse. These containers can be nice present for any type of traveler. But, they’re especially great for sustainable travelers, travelers with food allergies, or anybody who loves cooking in their Airbnb.

Collapsible containers are lightweight, extremely packable, and a convenient way to pack a lunch during your vacation. I’ve been eyeing this brand as the containers are airtight, microwavable, freezer-safe, and come in vibrant colors.

Travel journals

There’s nothing like sipping tea and writing in your journal! It’s one of my favorite mindful travel practices because journaling is therapeutic and travel journals function the same way.

Travel journals are a great way to document your experiences and any lessons you learned during your trip. Get one engraved with your friend’s favorite quote or purchase a journal that has a map on the front cover.

Valery has some beautiful vintage vegan leather travel journals that come with a built-in pen/pencil holder and a secret pocket. This is great for storing random mementos (i.e. polaroid photos, postcards, etc.).

The leather cover is also removable so you can refill and replace the notebook (lined or unlined) whenever you need to. Some designs include sunflowers, trees, law of attraction quotes, and more.

I love this brand and can’t recommend them enough!

Collapsible travel mug

Bringing your own reusable cup doesn’t have to be inconvenient anymore when traveling. Travel mugs are extremely sustainable, but a travel cup that collapses ups the sustainable and practical factor.

Stojo offers cups that are planet-friendly, dishwasher safe, and microwaveable. Beyond carrying hot liquid, it can also carry cold liquid and it’s easy to toss in your backpack when your on the go.

Packing cubes

A classic travel staple that’s one the best last minute gifts for travel lovers are packing cubes. It’s extremely practical, helps organize your bag, and there’s a variety of styles and textures to choose from. From neon colored cubes and sleek black organizers to mesh cubes, it’s easy to pick a style that suits your form of travel.

Amazon has some great options to choose from like Veken which offers different classic colors like black, pink, cream, and gray.

Compression cubes

Not to be confused with packing cubes as compression packing cubes have an added feature — they compress your clothing and items. They function very similar but often have a zipper or roll function that helps release air so you save even more room in your suitcase.

Gonex has a clean design with a double zipper to minimize your luggage. Use it on your carry-on, backpack, or in your luggage. These cubes are an exceptional, yet practical gift for friends going abroad (or yourself)!

Offer to pay for their travel insurance

Buying travel insurance is of the best gifts for travel lovers.

Word of advice; never travel without travel insurance. It’s one of the best ways to protect and care for your health when your traveling abroad. But if you forget to buy it, I’ve been there. That’s why it’s one of best mindful gifts to buy any travel lover!

It’s the gift that keeps on giving and supports the well-being of the traveler. That being said, consider paying for your friend or family members travel insurance. Ask them if this is okay or surprise them and buy it for them if possible.

I highly recommend using Travel Insurance Master as they have a powerful search engine tool!

This tools offers side by side comparisons to look at different insurance providers, trip cancelation, and cancel for any reason depending on what coverage you buy. I’ve used one of their travel insurance providers and had a great experience when I needed to go to urgent care while living in Cyprus.

World map wall decor

This unique travel gift is a steal for the artsy traveler or anyone who wants to showcase their travels with minimal effort. It’s also great for any travel obsessed remote workers who want to spruce up their home office.

Choose from a standard world map with push pins or consider buying a 3D wood map that sticks directly to your wall. Each of these are the perfect way to keep track of your travels and the aesthetics are stunning! You can find these on Amazon or Etsy.

Portable anything

Portable charger, portable speaker, portable blender (yup, that’s a thing!), etc. — there’s honestly so many portable things to buy that are magical presents for traveling! Below you’ll find a couple portable gifts for travel lovers that will help bring mindfulness and keep the adventurous spirit going.

Portable charger

Recharge on the go with this portable charger from Amazon. I’m a huge fan of Anker portable chargers and have been using them for years.

This one in particular comes in white or black and has a slim design so it’s easy to fit into your back pocket. It also has a travel pouch, connects with a USB-C cable, and a 523 power bank so you can charge your phone anywhere.

Portable speakers

Like I said before, I’m huge fan off all Anker products, including their speakers. But there are many other brands that have powerful speakers with great reviews too. With this in mind, if you’re shopping for speakers that travel well you’ll want to look for speakers that are waterproof, lightweight, and have easy connectivity, and bluetooth.

You’ll also want to make sure it has a long-lasting battery and is shockproof in case you drop it on your adventures. Some even have a strap so you hook it onto your backpack which is a perk for those who love to play music when hiking.

Portable blenders

While I’m still committed to my plug in NutriBullet, portable blenders come in clutch if your a big fan of camping. It’s one of the most unique travel gifts for travel lovers and smoothie lovers alike as you’re able to slurp down that protein shake (or green juice) even from the road.

Many blenders have a USB rechargeable battery and are super easy to clean. Flip over the container after blending it or pour the liquid into your favorite reusable travel mug, then wallah! Smoothie on the road!

Portable projector

When a movie buffs meet travel tech, you get a portable projector. That way you can stream your favorite movie while camping beneath the luminous stars in a beautiful desert like Joshua Tree. Place the screen on the side of your car, tent, or van (if you’re living the van-life).

I’ve been eyeing this brand for some type as it has remarkable clarity and streams various apps flawlessly! The projector lasts about 4 hours until it needs to be recharged.

Personalized luggage tags

If you’re looking for an intentional last minute travel gift for men, women, or non-binary persons luggage tags may be the best choice. Custom luggage tags are can be sentimental, funny, colorful, etc.

They’re also a simple way to help your suitcase stand out more. If this is what your aiming for, consider looking for bright colors. No colors are too bright in this situation (or really any!).

Passport holder organizer

For the travel friend who loves to stay organized or needs to get organized, this gift is heaven-sent. Besides holding your passport, these tiny organizers can carry credit cards, vaccination cards, SIM cards, a pen, and airline tickets. Well… at least this company does.

They’re also small enough to fit in your pocket and some brands offer family passport holders to help traveling families stay organized.

Subscription to a mindfulness app

While traveling offers a ton of wellness benefits (i.e. reduces stress, boosts mood, etc.), it can also sometimes derail any mindful practices in your current routine. Think long-haul flights, flight cancellations, sitting in crammed spaces, or tossing and turning in your new vacation bed. That’s where mindfulness apps come in.

Many apps like Calm, Headspace, etc. offer meditation guides and sleep stories to help you sleep better anywhere you’re traveling. I’ve used Calm for years and it’s really helped improved the quality of my sleep whether I’m cruising on Royal Caribbean or staying in a remote jungle resort.

Carry-on luggage

One of the best gifts to buy a friend going abroad is carry-on luggage. While it’s not the most unique travel gift, it’s one of the most important since this is where your belongings live during your trip.

I recently inherited (aka bought) some iFly luggage as they have the most amazing bright and marble-like colors. Samsonite is another brand I highly recommend, along with L.L Bean and Away if your traveling long-term or frequently.

If you’re an infrequent traveler American Tourister and AmazonBasics work well.

Luxury travel set

Whoever said you can’t travel with extreme comfort and style, hasn’t met Proglobe. Inside this luxury travel set you’ll find a snug fleece blanket, 3D face mask that gives your eyes breathing room, and memory foam neck pillow. There’s also ear plugs too.